Step into a cool, mossy forest…

Anita Earnest is living an enchanted life now after a coast to coast move. She lives and works in North Carlolina where she runs her business, All Nations Trading. While clearing some of her property, she found out just how enchanted her garden would be, treasures it and acts as a steward of it.  The fairies shine through her and I hope you’ll be able to see them, too.

Mossy fairy home

Anita tells us, “My husband Jim , our dog Bear, a Lab Newfoundland mix, and myself moved to a little town in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina and started a new chapter in our lives. We left the San Francisco area, sold our home and our successful business in Napa Valley to come to a little town of 565 residents.”

That’s me in the Enchanted Forest

“We are now 59 and 69 and needed to slow down a little. Our rural log home is located in the woods, with wonderful mosses and leafy trees, so different from California. A few months after we’ve moved the vacant lot next door was for sale and we decided to purchase it as we did not want anyone to build a home there. We moved for serenity.”

Terrific toadstool

“The lot was overgrown and hadn’t been looked after at all, full of briars, poison ivy and one could not even walk in the one acre lot. I remember well when the first path across got started, it was so much fun to walk from west to east.”

Enchanted forest path

“Quickly after that the second path was made from north to south. It all grew from here and we nurtured the native plants, ivy and mosses. We did it all ourselves, with a shovel, a weed puller and lots of work.”

Colorfully painted stone, with meaning

“My mother is here from Sweden so back home we have Red Hearts orn the door while we  have moons here. That’s why you see both here. ”

A wistful wizard

Fairy garden magic

A surprising object in the garden

“This art piece was a rusty chimney sweep at a garage sale, two dollars.  A little cleaning up, spray paint, sparkly paint and a poly coating changed the look.”

A fairy door

“The fairies often come from thrift stores as well and they seem to pop up throughout the Enchanted Forest more and more along with mushrooms. Garden funk and fun with flowers is such a pleasure and I am lucky to have a husband who enjoys it too.

Dream of an enchanted garden

Another paint designed emblem hung on a tree. Can you tell what it is?

“The enchanted forest been a work in progress of seven years and don’t think it will never end. Rustic pieces from road finds, thrift stores are part of the decor. I like to paint them up and they get new coats whenever needed every spring.”

Anita, in her garden

“Sticking my toes in the cool soft mosses is one of the best things I know and being in the forest under the trees and enjoying nature.”

Every garden needs a few wizards

They all come inside during the winter months of course, can’t have little fairies, gnomes, trolls sitting outside in cold weather. A warm inside room becomes the seasonal playroom. One person’s trash can easily become treasure around here.

Miniature residence in the making

Anita’s fairy garden sign

The lumber people didn’t want the best piece, I thought it would make a fantastic sign as it’s feathered on the side.

Turkey Foot Moss in the fairy garden

Fungi makes great shelves, one fairy is climbing to look at the stars (left side). Doesn’t the Turkey Foot Moss look like candles, we have this wonderful ground cover everywhere and it’s my job to keep it intact and move the new growth away from our paths. It’s my price and joy, Lycopodium digitatum.

Fanciful fairy sits on a tuffet

How the Fairy Garden got started was the ‘fairy’ in me, I think, and I believe in fantasy, happiness, forest beings, the Cherokee Little People,…and magic!

Anita Earnest of All Nations Trading

Do you love Anita’s fairy statue?  We do, too!  Here it is on Amazon:

Seated Fairy Angel on Mushroom Garden Statue, 16-1/2-Inch Tall